Zhang Lu Stuns Tokyo Festival With Mothertongue Premiere Weeks After Busan Win

The creation of these two sister films is as spontaneous as it is poetic. After wrapping Mothertongue, Zhang Lu decided to take a short trip near Mount Emei to rest and reflect. However, his plans changed when he discovered the ancient town of Luomu, a quiet, nearly abandoned place that left a profound emotional impact on him.

“The town felt like a forgotten poem,” Zhang said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I didn’t want to leave without capturing its spirit.”

Within days, Zhang called his lead actors — who had just completed Mothertongue — and invited them to join him. Working with only a one-page outline, they began shooting Gloaming in Luomu. The film was largely improvised, shot over a few weeks with minimal crew, and guided by atmosphere rather than structure.

The result was a hauntingly beautiful meditation on identity and belonging — a project that unexpectedly went on to win the top prize at Busan, making it one of the year’s standout achievements in Asian arthouse cinema.

A Director’s Philosophy on Space and Story

Zhang Lu’s creative process defies convention. He revealed that his films never start with a formal script or even defined characters. Instead, every project begins with a place that stirs him emotionally.

“I start with a space that moves me,” Zhang said. “The space itself tells me what the story wants to be.”

This method allows the locations to shape not only the story but also the characters’ emotional journeys. Both Mothertongue and Gloaming in Luomu were built from this spatial inspiration. The dialogue, crafted collaboratively on set, gives the films an uncanny realism — conversations flow naturally, reflecting real human rhythms rather than cinematic precision.

Critics have noted that Zhang’s approach creates films that feel discovered rather than written, lending them an intimacy and vulnerability rarely found in modern cinema. His recurring themes of rootlessness and belonging mirror his personal history as a Korean-Chinese artist living between cultures, often exploring identity through quiet moments and unspoken emotion.

The Impact and What’s Next

The back-to-back success of Mothertongue and Gloaming in Luomu has positioned Zhang Lu among the most respected independent filmmakers in Asia. His meditative style and minimalist storytelling have attracted attention from both festival juries and audiences seeking more human, reflective cinema.

Industry experts suggest that Mothertongue could continue its international festival run, potentially screening at Berlin, Rotterdam, or Cannes in 2026. Meanwhile, Gloaming in Luomu is being discussed for wider art-house distribution, especially following its Busan Grand Prize win.

Zhang’s recent success underscores a global appetite for stories that transcend language and culture, focusing instead on universal emotions — home, isolation, and belonging. His dual films stand as a testament to cinema’s power to capture fleeting feelings in physical spaces.